32 new firefighters from 5 states, 3 countries graduate from TEEX Firefighter Academy
COLLEGE STATION – Thirty-two new firefighters graduated Aug. 22 from the 22nd Online Firefighter Recruit Academy at the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). They completed 335 hours of training online before traveling to College Station for an intensive 21-day, hands-on firefighting “boot camp” at Brayton Fire Training Field.
The graduates came from five U.S. states, plus Canada and Algeria. Lt. John Yovanovitch of the Arlington (TX) Fire Department was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony, which was held at Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University, followed by a reception at the TEEX Brayton Fire Training Field.
The class valedictorian was Jesse Keylock of Penticton, British Columbia. The class voted Julian Appignani of McKinley Volunteer Fire Department in Danali National Park, Alaska, as the “Most Outstanding Cadet.” Class Captain was Danielle Hamilton with the U.S. Air Force.
The Firefighter Recruit Academy prepares entry-level firefighters to earn the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) and ProBoard certifications for Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and HazMat Operations.
The program is eligible for college credit through the Fire Science Technology degree program at Blinn College and the Fire and Emergency Services Administration degree program at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
The TEEX Academy meets or exceeds the requirements in most states and countries for preparation and/or certification of municipal firefighters. The Online Firefighter Recruit Academy has trained nearly 700 certifiable firefighters since the first class was held in 2012.
Learn more about the TEEX blended learning and traditional Firefighter Academies.
Visit the TEEX Firefighter Recruit Academy facebook page.